Top 5 best Horror Games on Nintendo Systems

It's October and you all know what this means. Yes it's this time of the year again. The time of ghouls and ghosts. The time were we are all aching for a good scare. Of course finding such on Nintendo consoles may be a hard, but not impossible. Over the years our favourite maker of game consoles has been home to some pretty terryfying experiences. And no I'm not talking about the Zelda CDI games. Instead I want to take this chance to dedicate this weeks toplist to a genre that often is overlooked between Marios and Links adventures, but is just as important for a healthy console library. At least for me.

So join me in taking a look at the five best Horror games on Nintendo consoles.

5: Clock Tower

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It's hard to imagine by todays standards, but the first Clock Tower Game on the Super Nintendo was really terryfying. Even when I played it some years ago, when I was in my mid twenties, I still felt a little bit uneasy. Of course the Graphics are extremely outdated, but hte gameplay still perfectly transfers the feeling of help- and hopelessness.

The Story of the game is quickly told. The protagonist Jennifer and three other children are adopted by a wealthy, secluded living man, named Simon Barrows. After the are brought to his mansion, which is named Clocktower after it's most prominent feature, and Mr. Barrows is nowhere to be found, Jennifer opts to search for him. Shortly after she finds the corpse of one of the other girls and from that point onward, is stalked by a mysterious deformed man with a huge pair of scissors.

Like I said earlier Clock Tower is stil a good horror game, despite its outdated graphics, because it perfectly translates the horror via Gameplay. As with all Point and Click games you only indirectly control Jennifer. But that's not what I'm speaking about. The two main factors that keep the game working even today are Scissorman and how your character reacts to him. Scissorman may look grotesque and even funny at first glance, but the gameplay he creates is truly terryfying. The developers have perfectly incorporated one of the fundamental rules of Horror. You can't fight the monster. If you try Scissorman will kill you. Everytime.

Instead you have to hide or use enviromental traps to momentarly stop him. But here comes the second genious gameplay twist into play. Whenever Scissorman is nearby you enter panic mode. Simpyl said Jennifer is fearing for her life and this clouds her judgement. In panic mode you may trip and generally act slower based on your health.

This all coupled with the extremely open structure of the game with several endings and pathways to take made Clock Tower and instand classic in the Horror Genre with several great sequels, which sadly can't be found on Nintendo consoles.

4: Resident Evil Revelations

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While Resident Evil 4 is an excellent game and has claimed it's rightful place in history, it was also the first step away from the classic Resident Evil formula. Of course the end result is one of the best games of all time and most certainly the best Resident Evil game overall, but it can't be denied that it toned down the Horror Atmosphere from previous titles a little. The shift towards a more action oriented franchise started with this title and because we're talking about Horror games here, I wanted to shine the spotlight on another entry. One that brought RE back on track and put down the groundwork for the series excellent resurrection in Resident Evil 7. Of course I'm talking about the first Revelations game on the 3DS.

When the game was first introduced I, and many others, where sceptical. Can a Horror game work on a handheld console? The simple answer is, yes it can. Revelations was one of the first games that really made the 3D effect worthwile, simply because it looked great. Capcom really got everything out of the Hardware and created a gorgeous 3DS title.

But what made the game truly a success was that it perfectly brought back the old Resident Evil theme. The abandoned cruise liner Queen Zenobia is a perfect Horror location. It manages to combine grand setpieces with claustrophobic and dark corridors. But what really puts Revelations on this list is the great enemies they introduced. The T-Abyss Virus infection creates truly amazing monsters, and even though the enemy variety could be bigger, Capcom managed to create truly disturbing monsters for you to fight. And of course you don't fight them in hordes, which helps to keep things rather fresh (and frightening).

3: Eternal Darkness

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You can't make a list about Horror games on Nintendo consoles without mentioning this GameCube classic. If you're familiar with the Psycho Mantis Bossfight in Metal Gear Solid for the Playstation then let me tell you that Eternal Darkness is this Boss fight turned into a full game. And also if you're a fan of H.P. Lovecraft and lament his lack of presence in the video game world, then let me tell you that this is a game you need to play, as it's story is heavily inspired by the authors works.

But what is the story? Well just like the rest of the game it's complicated. The main protagonist of the game is Alexandra Roivas, but most of the time you'll be playing other characters which stories Alexandra experiences through reading in the Tome of Eternal Darknss. The Story spans over more than two centuries starting in 26 b.c. up until Alexandras part in the year 2000. It's very well written and deals heavily with the concepts of insanity and cosmic horror. I won't say anything more, just that this game is well worth playing for the great story alone.

But luckily that's not all Eternal Darkness has going on for it. The gameplay is also quite good. But of course the one thing that I have to mention, and central pillar of the gameplay, is the sanity meter. Your characters don't stay unaffected by the Horrors they'll have to face in order to survive. All of this takes a heavy toll on the mind. And Eternal Darkness takes joy in showing this to you. Every time your sanity meter drops lower more and more hallucinations will occur. Thes hallucinations are often character and location specific, so there is a shit ton of them. And the most insidious thing is that they don't ''physically'' affect your character, but they all make it harder to survive. For example a room is now full of monsters or upside down. And of course there are the legendary Fourth Wall breaks like the fake error screen that tells you your save data has been lost and so forth.

Overall Eternal Darkness is a true mindfuck of a game in the best way possible and should be enjoyed by every fan of Horror games.

2: Silent Hill: Shattered Memories

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I haven't played Silent Hill 2....

I haven't played Silent Hill....

but I have played Silent Hill: Shattered Memories. And to all of you now saying that this is a remake of the first Silent Hill congratulations. You're technically correct. The best kind of correct.

But now back to the actual game. As stated above Silent Hill: Shattered Memories is a remake of the first Silent Hill for the Wii, but that's not entirely true. It's more of a reimagining of the first game. It has the same basic premise as the first, the main characters search for his daughter, but the plot has been altered as well as new and changed characters. The biggest change, however, is the the new and defining feature of psychotherapy sessions. From time to time you'll enter these first person sessions and answer questions. And the answers you give will then influence the future gameplay and surroundings. This creates an incredibly dynamic game that feels different for every player.

One thing that makes Silent Hill: Shattered Memories so frightening is it's monsters. Or should I say monster? Instead of many differend creatures hunting you this time around it's only one typ of monster. But don't worry you won't get bored of them because just like the rest of the game they are everychanging. Every action you take and every answer you give to the psychotherapist alters their appearance. This ensures that these monsters not only feel very threatening, but also keeps them unique for every player.

And one last thing adds to their impact. You can't fight them. Silent Hill: Shattered Memories is the first title in the series without any combat system. Instead you have to avoid and outwit the monsters your own action have created. And that makes for one hell of a memorable play session.

1: Project Zero 2:

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When the Project Zero (Fatal Frame) IP was partially bought by Nintendo I didn't think much of it. A friend had owned the first installment on his PlayStation 2, but we never actually came around to playing it. So when I got a used copy of the Wii Remake of the second game, Crimson Butterfly, I didn't knew what I was in for. What i got was simply one of the greatest horror trips I've ever experienced.

The plot of the game is simple. The Twin Girls Mio and Mayu visit their favourite childhood playspot before it's lost to a damn construction. But the nearby forest had been home to a village a long time ago where the Crimson Sacrifice Ritual was performed. When this ritual failed one day the whole village vanished. Now there is an urban legend that whoever wanders to deep into the nearby woods becomes forever entrapped in the lost village.

I don't think I have to delve any deeper into the story, do I?

But the story is not the part that makes this game so special to me. It's the simple fact that this game has created one of the best atmospheres I've ever experienced in a video game, period. The dangerous beauty of the Lost Village really pulled me in, even with the outdated Wii hardware. And one thing that the developers understood masterfully was how to create a perfect, threatening enviroment. The Ghosts never lose their edge and every encounter had my heart beating. The game doesn't overload you with encounters, but perfectly paces them and keeps you in a state of constant tension. It is a really stressful experience. And that's what makes it so great.

So tell me. What games had a chill running down your spine? Which made you turn on the light at night? Let me know your experiences in the comments.

And as always

thanks for reading

5 times Nintendo dropped the Ball with Metroid

This week it's finally time. Seven years after the last ''proper'' release in the series we're getting a new Metroid game. Of course it's not completely new, but ''just'' a remaster of Metroid 2 for the Gameboy, but if you compare both games directly it's like night and day. Metroid: Samus Returns is not just a remaster with better graphics, but a true remake build from the foundation that was Metroid 2. With new areas and more story this game will be worth it even if you know the original in and out. Or at least that's what I hope. The definitive answer will arrive on the 15^th of September when the game finally launches.

Still in the past Metroid fans didn't have it easy. Even though Samus is often considered as one of the big three Nintendo figures, together with Link and Mario, she is by far the character with the fewest appearances. Also Nintendo hasn't been handling her all to well in the past. And while I'm sure that Samus Returns and the upcoming Prime 4 will be a return to form for her, it can't be denied that Nintendo has had several missteps in Metroids long and storied history.

So before we, hopefully, return to a positive outlook for the Metroid series let us delve one last time into the dark pits that was the Metroid series in the last couple of years. Hopefully by looking back at the darkness behind us the light at the end of the tunnel will shine even brighter.

So without further ado here are the five times Nintendo has dropped the Ball with Metroid.

5: Metroid Prime Pinball

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Metroid is a series that has a very unique atmosphere. No matter which game you play all perfectly translate the feeling of being alone in space perfectly to the player. So what is the natural idea for the first Spin-off game in the series? If your answer is a Pinball game because of Samus Morph Ball then I think I hate you. Metroid Prime Pinball was released in 2005 in NA (or 2007 in Europe) for the Nintendo DS. It was a commercial failure selling only 6,228 copies during it's first month, but more importantly this was the first proper Spin-off game the Metroid series recieved. Not only that but it felt more like a cheap cash in, than a full fledged game. Nearly all reviews criticized the lack of variety and content.

Not to say that the game was bad, but a series with such a long history clearly deserved more. Metroid Prime Pinball is a perfect example on how to cheaply cash in on a huge IP. In todays market it would probably be a phone game, created to make a quick buck. Still some of the redeeming qualities the game has, are the fact that it's actually a pretty good pinball game and fans of the Metroid series will recognize many details on the different tables.

Still the fact remains that the first proper Spin-off the Metroid series recieved should have been something more thematically appropriate. A stealth based game where you play a Federation Spy or maybe a team based shooter with some federation forces.... which brings us to...

4: Metroid Prime Federation Force

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Hach Metroid Prime Federation force... you were so young and innocent. But you were also delivered to us at the worst possible time. You just can't hope that Fans, who have been waiting for a new game in a franchise, will take lightly to a spin-off game using a completely different art style and having little in common with the main line entries. Federation Force has been doomed from the start, which is a pity because the game wasn't that bad. It's not great by any means, but it is a solid team shooter. It was a solid Spin-off and certainly more thematically fitting than a Pinball game.

Then why is it higher on this list? The answer is simple. When Metroid Prime Pinball was released it was between Prime 2 and 3 during one of the best peroids for being a Metroid fan. As a result the game was mostly ignored or accepted as a fun oddity. When Federation Force released it had been six years since the last proper Metroid title. And that title was Other M.

So the first Metroid title after a full console cycle was a game where you didn't even play Samus. And while I did say that the game wasn't half bad there is one glaring flaw, which I simply can't ignore. Earlier I said that Metroid is a game series with a strong and rich atmosphere. And that is the one thing that Federation Force is severly lacking. The Chibi Artstyle they chose for this adventure simply doesn't mix well with the idea of a Metroid title.

So in conclusion the game came at the worst possible time and with the worst possible art style. Which is a damn shame because otherwise I'm sure it would've been a success. So in the end Nintendo is to blame for the fall of Metroid Prime: Federation Force

3: Not celebrating the 25^th anniversary

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2011 was a huge year for Nintendo. During e3 they celebrated 25 years of Zelda with a live orchestra and later that year Skyward Sword, the biggest Zelda releas up to that point, came out for the Wii. And Nintendo really went all out to make the 25^th anniversary of the Zelda series as big as possible.

Another series that celebrated it's 25^th birthday during that year was Metroid. Of course you wouldn't know because Nintendo did absolutely nothing to remind you of that fact. No concerts, no release, not even a sale of older titles on the e-shop.

Hey Samus thanks for 25 years of service and staring in several of the most critically aclaimed video games of all time. Here's a friendly handshake. Now back into the closet with you.

Metroid is often ranked among the most important Nintendo franchises. Even though it doesn't sell huge quantities of games it has an extremely high standing among the more hardcore gamers. A demographic in which Nintendo doesn't have the strongest standing. Metroid is one of the few possibilities to garner the attention of that crowd. By not celebrating the 25^th anniversary of the Metroid series Nintendo let a perfect opportunity got to waste to promote their brand as something more than just a casual paradise.

2: Metroid Other M

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Metroid Other M started with a bold vision. Giving Samus a voice. But along the way it seems like Nintendo forgot that she also has to say something with that voice. When Other M was released Voice Acting was still a novelty in Nintendo titles. Metroid Prime: Corruptoin had been the trail blazer three years earlier. Samus, however, had remained silent during the course of that game. And looking back this was the right decision.

Before Other M we never knew what Samus was thinking. So we had to fill that with our own imagination. Luckily her actions did speak for her. We got to know Samus as a badass bounty hunter, who gets the job done. Even when faced with immense danger she never backed down, but instead bravely faced it head on.

Well now we know she proabably was haunted by self doubt during all those encounters. Other M has many problems, but by far the biggest has to be Samus characterization in that game. I get that they intended to maker her a flawed character for a more engaging story. After all it's hard to connect with a superhuman, but they overshot that goal by a long mile. Other M currently sits nearly at the end of the Metroid canon. When the game takes place Samus not only had been a soldier in the galactic federation, but also an accomplished bounty hunter and hero for several years. She has survived two encounters with Mother Brain, exterminated the Metroids and defeated Dark Samus. And still one meeting with her old superior turns her back into the insecure and, to be honest, dumb girl she was many years ago?

To say Metroid Other M has been pretty damaging to Samus character would put it lightly. At this point everything about that game should be forgotten and burried.

1: Not doing enough with (and for) the franchise

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Between Super Metroid and Metroid Prime were nearly 8 years and between Other M and Federation Force still 6 years. And if you count Metroid Prime 4 as the next ''true'' Metroid game then it's even more. As you can see Metroid has always been a series with ups and downs. Which is a huge shame considering the great potential it offers.
It's often said that Nintendo lacks appeal for more mature audiences. It even goes so far that some people love to suggest transitioning games like Zelda into a game for adults. I think a darker Zelda is always among the top of wishes when a new game in that series is announced.

What people tend to forget is that Nintendo already has a franchise with a dark atmosphere and the possibility for a deep story. And they just ignore it.

Even though there lies so much potential in the Metroid series. Not only in the mainline games, but also in spin-offs and merchandise. Of course Samus is no Mario, so seeing her go cart racing or having a nice Boardgame with Ridley would not fit into the tone of the series, but games like Federation Force, ill recieved as it was, prove that there are great possibilities for Spin-Off games in the series. And not only that. Metroid would be a great fit for adaptiation in a different Medium. Expanding the backstory of the galactic federation in a series would be interesting to see.

Generally speaking the lack of Metroid in all of Nintendos merchandise is just baffling. While you see Mario around every corner and each GameStop has at least two copies of Zelda Monopoly in store you're hard pressed to finde any trace of Samus outside her own games. And that is a damn shame.

Where do you think Nintendo dropped the Ball with Samus? What would you do differently? Let me know in the comments

and as always

thanks for reading

Top Five Times Nintendo has thought outside the box

Nintendo is an interesting company. On one hand they are as conservative as it gets, but on the other they always manage to surprise us with some new inovation. I think it's this duality that has allowed them to stay relevant up to this day. They never forget their roots, but always strive to move forward. Of course they sometimes go overboard in both directions. Innovation for Innovations sake is never desirable, as is complete stillstand.

But overall Nintendo managed to achieve a good balance I think.

Still the company is mostly seen as living in the past, being stuck in their old ways. But as we fans all know this is far from the truth. Nintendo is an ever changing company with one single focus. Creating quality Video Games for us to enjoy. Now before this introduction sounds even more like a glorified press release, let me introduce todays topic to you.

Overall Nintendo is a traditonalistic company. We can always count on them releasing a new Mario Kart on a console or handheld. We always know that the next Mario adventure is on it's way, and we can be certain that a return to Hyrule is already planned. And we know what to expect from these games. Great, but familiar gameplay. But today I'd like to shine the focus on the unexpected. The decisions that took us all by surprise. Today I'd like to talk about the five times that Nintendo has thought outside the box. The times the left their comfort zone and created something truly new.

5: Breath of the Wild

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Who woul'dve thought that a series like Zelda, which is filled to the brim with history, would appear on a list like that. And to be honest up until e3 2016 I would've never even considered it, but then this trailer hit and changed everything.

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In just 3 Minutes and 19 Seconds Nintendo managed to throw everything we knew about Zelda out of the Window. A completely open World. Survival Gameplay. Breath of the Wild looked like a different game entirely. And the simple truth is, it not only seemed that way, but also felt unlike any Zelda title before once you've got to play it. The new world of Hyrule, while familiar at first sight, was something you have never seen on a Nintendo console before.

Zelda is a storied franchise with a lot of critical acclaim. Nintendo didn't need to change anything about the formula. Skyward Sword, the last truly classic console Zelda, sold well and recieved great scores. Still Nintendo and Eiji Aonuma opted to give the series a complete shake-up. It was a huge risk fundamentally changing, what is arguaby, your most important franchise so completely, but it was a risk that, in the end, payed out.

Breath of the Wild was a new start for Zelda. Like the original game in 1986 or Ocarin of Time in 1998 it has set the standard for future iterations of the series. The Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild is one of the best examples of Nintendo stepping outside their comfort zone. And it is glorious.

4: Virtual Console

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Nostalgia is a huge part of Nintendos identity. Heck if you ask the right people they will tell you that it's the only thing about Nintendo. No other gaming company can look back on such a storied history as Nintendo. For over 30 years they've been providing us with great games and great memories. But in 2005 this wasn't really the case. Apart from a Handful SNES games they had ported to the GameBoy Advance Nintendo didn't really capitalize on their long history of games. Nobody in the industry did. Everything was focused on moving forward. If you wanted to enjoy the classics you'd have to find an old console at someones yard sale. But during e3 2005 while introducing the Wii Satoru Iwata revealed the Virtual Console.

The Wii was the first Nintendo console with actual backwards compability. But instead of fullfilling the standard of being able to play games from the previous console generation they went beyond that. Via the Virtual Console the Wii was backwards compatible towards all former Nintendo consoles. Of course you'd had to buy the games again, but for many this was a small price for having all of their favourite games on one console. Now you could play A Link to the Past and Super Mario 64 back to back without the need of switching consoles.

The Virtual Console marked the first time that Nintend truly started capitalizing on the massive value of Nostalgia. It was a genius idea and proved that they were capable of adapting to a new market. The Wii was the first gaming console for a lot of people and via Virtual Console they were given the chance to catch up on over 20 years of gaming history.

3: Donkey Kong

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It seems hard to understand nowadays, but in 1980 the world was a very different place. And even though video games were mildly successful during that time their appeal was still very limited. They story behind the game is well known nowadays. In 1980 Nintendo of America was left with a large amount of Radar Scope arcade machines, because they failed to sell. Hiroshi Yamauchi, the president of Nintendo during that time, tasked a young designer called Shigeru Miyamoto to create a replacement game, which could be insterted into the machines to replace Radar Scope. This was Miyamotos first shot at designing a video game. He was also supervised by veteran Nintendo engineer Gunpei Yokoi (who you might know as the father of the GameBoy)

The two immidiatelly started working on a game concept that, for that time, was truly revolutionary. Yokoi and Miyamoto used the graphics as a means to characterize the hero of the game. No longer were you a faceless character, but you controlled Jumpman on his quest to save the beautiful Pauline from the brutish Donkey Kong. Not only that, but the two designers also included Cutscenes and different stages. Unheard at that time.

Donkey Kong proved to be a huge success and the jump start for Miyamotos legendary career. It revolutionized story telling in video games. And all that because Nintendo thought outside the box to find a solution for the unsold Radar Scope machines.

2: Metroid Prime:

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Let's see. You have one of your most iconic franchises, which hasn't seen a new release in over 8 years. You want to bring it back, but it has to adapt and change to fit into the modern gaming enviroment. Whad do you do?

If your answer is you hand the task to a newly founded american studio, which hasn't released any games so far then welcome abord the board of executives at Nintendo. Because that's exactly what happened in 2002 when Nintendo released Metriod Prime for the GameCube.

In 2000 Shigeru Miyamoto visited the studios of Retro in Austing, Texas. He wasn't impressed with the prototypes of games the studio was working on during that times, but saw a lot of potential in their Action-Adventure Game Engine. He suggested it could be used to develop a new game in the Metroid series. And that's not the only thing he did suggest. He was also the driving force behind transitioning the game into an first person perspective.

This was a bold new step. Afterall Super Metroid is often regarded as one of the best games of all time. To throw nearly everything about this game out of the window and create a new experience in Metroid Prime was a huge risk. But like with Breath of the Wild it was a risk that was very well worth taking. Next to Ocarina of Time and Super Mario 64 Metroid Prime is often named when talking about the perfect example of a 2D to 3D transition. And it has cemented it's place as one of the best games of all time. Just like its predecessor.

1: Wii

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In 2005 Nintendo was in a difficult position. Their days of ruing over the console market were long gone. Sony had dominated them the second time in a row with the PlayStation 2 and the Gamecube had even fallen short in defeating the new competitor X-Box. At the end of the sixth generaion the PlayStation 2 reigned supreme with over 150 Million Units followed by the X-Box with 24 and then the Gamecube with 22 Million sales. During this time Nintendo president Satoru Iwata realized something. Nintendo couldn't compete directly with Sony and Microsoft. So instead of entering the ever evolving hardware and power race Nintendo instead opted for something different. Instead of fighting for a finite amount of hardcore gamers they instead decided to tap into a completely new market of customers. People, which up until then, wheren't even considered to be possible buyers. People, who had never played a video game before. Nintendo literally jumped out of the box of pre-existing customers with the Wii.

During e3 2005 Nintendo announced the Nintendo Wii. Barely more powerful than a Nintendo Gamecube and instead focusing on motion controls. It took everyone by surprise. Instead of making games look better and bigger they introduced a completely new way to play. And the reletively weak tech had another advantage. The Wii sold for a retail price which none of the other two consoles could come even close to.

Nintendo had created the perfect storm. Everyone immidiatelly understood the appeal of Motion Gaming through Wii sports and the low price made the decission to get a Wii even easier. No matter on which side you are on the whole Motion Gaming experience in 2006 and 2007 the Wii was the thing to get. And at the end of the console generation, despite it's short comings and a lackluster support during it's latter days, the Wii reigned supreme with over 101 Million Units sold.

When did Nintendo surprise you? Did they ever? Tell me in the comments.

and as always
thanks for reading

Top 5 Mario Games

First of all let me say sorry for the lack of posts last week. I know this happens from time to time, but sadly this can't be avoided. Still this week there should be a steady stream of content on this blog.

So let's start with a Toplist that has been on my mind for a long time. After talking about my Top 5 Zelda Games a while ago it is now time to give Nintendos Mascot the Spotlight. Mario is probably one of the most universally well known fictional characters of all time. You'll hardly find anyone who can't whistle along with his iconic theme tune. And although his looks were more a product of technical limitations during the early 80s it has become truly iconic.

Now with Mario slated to make his triumphant 3D return later this year in Super Mario Odyssey I thought it would be nice to take a look back at what he has accomplished in his more than 30 years of jumping on Gumbas. So here is my selection for the 5 best Mario Games of all time.

Oh and just to make everything clear, I'm only considering mainline games for this list. So no Spin-Offs like Mario Party, Paper Mario or Mario Kart and sadly no Yoshis Island.

5: Super Mario Bros. 3

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While the true Super Mario Bros. 2 (release in the US and Europe as The Lost Levels in Super Mario Allstars) felt more like a level pack for the original game, rather than a full blown sequel, Super Mario Bros. 3 blew everything out of the water.

Truly unique Level designs, a new graphical style and innovations left and right set the standard on how Mario Games had to look like in the future. If you directly put the original Super Mario Bros. against this game it's not even comparable. An overworld, Items, Toad Houses, a huge selection of Power-UPs and unique Boss fights. This game wasn't a step, but a leap forward.

Sadly I wasn't around when it released, but I can imagine how mind blowing the experience must have been.

Also Power-UP wise this game had one of the biggest selection in the history of all Mario titles. Not only did classics like the Fire Flower or the Power Star return, but it also introduced new fan favorites. The Leaf and Tanuki Suit, for the first time, allowed Mario the take flight and introduced a new dimension of conquering the stages. The Hammer Bros. Suit allowed Mario to experience the awesome Power of his most hated enemies. And the Frog Suit and Gumba Shoe introduced new ways of traversing the dangerous terrain of the levels.

Another strong point of this game is that Miyamoto and his team had truly managed level design by this point. You can see their inherent greatness in the levels of the original Super Mario Bros, but it was still rough around the edges. With Super Mario Bros. 3, however, they had finally mastered the art of creating the perfect 2D Jump'n'Run Courses. The level design in this level is simply great. Varied and never unfair, it will always challenge you. This fact and the many standards this game set (World 2 is always a desert World) earn the Number 5 spot on this list.

4: Super Mario Bros.

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What marks a great game? If it's fun to play more than thirty years after its initial release. And Super Mario Bros. fulfills that criteria, even without Nostalgia goggles. The game shows that a simple, but perfected game concept is truly timeless. The genius of Super Mario Bros. is that it effortlessly brings together casual friendly gameplay and a high skill ceiling. Later iterations have improved and build on this foundation, but it's all there in the very first game of the series. Even a person, who has never played a game before, will manage World 1-1 after a couple of tries. The game teaches you all tools you need to survived directly at the start. But to beat all eight worlds you have to fully understand Mario and his controls and then master them.

I don't think I have to repeat how ground breaking Super Mario Bros. was when it first released. This game single handily carried the NES and revolutionized the Video Game market. It's influence cannot be overestimated.

And apart from his historic importance it is a damn good game. It overs a nice variety in level design and a near perfect difficulty curve. If you take a look at other games from that time it is mind blowing how much content Super Mario Bros. offered. Eight Worlds with four levels each, hidden warp rooms and a full blown story.

And while his historic importance would be enough to warrant a spot on this list, it can't be stressed enough that today still the game plays absolutely fine. The 8 Bit graphics and tunes are timeless and the level design, while not as fleshed out as in later titles, is still brilliant. Even today, nearly 32 years after its first release in Japan, Super Mario Bros. is a lot of fun to play.

3: Super Mario 64

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Now on to a game that hasn't aged quite as well, but is just as groundbreaking as its ancestor. And while the graphics took quite the hit, the gameplay is still top notch. Several series struggled transitioning into the 3D era, but Mario not only made the jump, he set the rules for how such games have had to look and play. Today the worlds of the game may seem small, but in 1996 they truly seemed endless. And you could literally go anywhere.

Of course it helped that the gameplay was also transitioned into 3D perfectly. Controlling Mario and navigating him through the obstacles inside Peachs Castle was a blast. But enough about the impact the game had. Let's talk about the game itself. It is still the blueprint for the perfect Mario 3D adventure, and while another game takes a higher spot on this list, the focus on exploration makes this game something special. Not without a reason Super Mario Odyssey wants to got back to that kind of Mario experience.

Being able to find Stars purely by accident in the vast levels of the game was one of the greatest feelings I had as a kid. The worlds of Super Mario 64 felt truly alive, instead of being segregated experiences. It was not like with the Galaxy games where each Star was it's own Test of skill, but they felt connected. You had the feeling that you could go anywhere and tackle the challenge with different approaches. To this day Super Mario 64 still feels like the most open Mario game.

This game didn't only lay the groundwork for 3D games in general, but also for Open World adventures. It belongs on any Toplist and is more than worthy to take the 3^rd Spot in my Top 5 Mario Games.

2: Super Mario World

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From the game that revolutionized 3D gaming to the perfect 2D Jump'n'Run. And while other series also achieved those heights Mario did it first. Once again he proved that he alone is more than enough to sell a system. After he starred in the perfect sequel Super Mario Bros. 3 everyone was wondering where Mario would go next. The answer was Dinousaur Land. Bowser had once again kidnapped Peach and so Mario headed into his biggest adventure yet. 96 levels and several worlds awaited him. For the first time in the series history there was also a full overworld map. Secret Exits and two hidden worlds (Star Road and Special World) waited to be discovered. It marked the first appearance of Yoshi and the Ghost Houses, two staples of the series to this day.

But the game was also the perfect 2D Mario experience. The controls in Super Mario World are simply, well, perfect. Never before had you been able to control Mario as precise as here.

And while the Power Ups had been tuned down from the predecessor Super Mario 3, the newly introduced Cape was a step up from the Tanuki. It's glide mechanic offered a deeper gameplay than the simple function of the Tanuki Suit. This game also featured the best Bowser fight, so there is that.

Super Mario World is hard to describe. Like many Mario games you have to play to truly appreciate it. But let me say this. From all the games on this list so far this game has aged the best. Not only does the presentation still look top notch, also the controls and gameplay itself still hold up in direct competition with current Jump'n' Runs. Also this game features Yoshi, so there's that.

1: Super Mario Galaxy

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One of the best games ever created. Period. Across all genres and platforms.

Super Mario Galaxy is simply the best Mario Adventure. Yes even though it's a 3D game it doesn't focus on exploration, but instead feels more like a series of obstacle courses. But if the obstacles are presented in such a grand fashion and with such perfect gameplay I'm willing to ignore the flaws. And to be honest there aren't any flaws. This game provides you with 3D platforming of the highest caliber.

It's also the Mario game with the deepest story so far (something they sadly scrubbed from the direct sequel). Rosalina and the Lumas provide an intriguing and emotional background for your journey. I have often talked about my lover for Rosalinas character in earlier posts, so I won't repeat that here, but to put it simply. She is by far the most fleshed out and best written Mario Character.

The Game itself also doesn't need to hide. It's Mario so you know the gameplay is going to be Top Notch. The courses of the game, while often pretty linear, are some of the greatest thins you can experience on the Wii. They are grand in design and presentation. The orchestral music also elevates the experience to another level.

And while the levels aren't as open ended as in Mario 64 and you always can only gather one specific star, once you play the game all this criticism is forgotten immediately. Instead you simply have a great time. And honestly this is the biggest compliment I can give this, and in fact any, game.

Super Mario Galaxy is a lot of fun.

So what are your favorite Mario Jump'n'Runs? Maybe you prefer the GameBoy Titles over some of my pics? Or do you love the actual releases? Whatever the answer is let me know it in the comments.

And as always

thanks for reading

Top 5 Challenges in Mario Games

Mario Games are known for their imaginative level design, perfect platforming and overall great gameplay. They're hardly ever mentioned in Lists containing the hardest games though. Still the original Super Mario Bros. 2 was deemed to hard for the West back in the day. That's why we got a reskin of a different game sold to us as Super Mario Bros. 2.

From that well known anecdote you can tell that Mario and difficulty isn't mutually exclusive. In fact some levels in the modern Mario games rank among the hardest platforming challenges you can face.

The great thing about these is that they are often optional. You don't need to complete them to face off against Bowser and safe Peach, but if you want to complete the Game 100% then there is no way around it.

So while Mario is normally seen as child and family friendly, today I want to focus on his other side. The dark depths of countless hours and lifes lost in the most brutal challenges the Mushroom Kingdom has to offer. These Challenges are the crowning Achievement towering over their games as final goals to conquer.

5: Super Mario Galaxy 2: The Perfect Run

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Super Mario Galaxy 2 improved a lot of things over it's predecessor. There were some really great ideas in this sequel and the Levels, even though they focused even more on the obstacle course platforming, were great.

On of the biggest improvements however was the ''Post Game.'' While in the original Galaxy game you had to collect all 120 Stars again with Luigi, this time you got 120 completely new Green Stars to find. Given these were only hidden away in the existing levels and not as fleshed out as regular Stars. Despite this fact the Galaxy wide scavenger hunt was a lot of fun. And as a reward for finding all 120 Green Stars you unlocked the Grand Master Galaxy.

This Galaxy offered two final Stars. One for the regular Run and one for the Perfect Run, where you only had one Hit Point and no Checkpoints.

The Perfect Run is the crowning Jewel in the Crown that is Super Mario Galaxy 2. It demands you to use everything you have learned over the course of the game perfectly. There is hardly any room for mistakes.

After an initial two Parts where you can use Yoshi you then reach the first challenge. A room full of Lasers and Wind, where you have to use the Cloud Suit to carefully maneuver around. It's important to take a fresh Cloud Suit with some Charges left into the next section, because it makes everything a lot easier.

The following part is the one I always struggle the most with. Switch Platforms, difficult jumps and a bombardment from all sides make this a nightmare without the Cloud Suit to help you out.

The Run ramps up the difficulty in each section until you reach the final nail biter against a gauntlet of Hammer Bros and the final three Boomerang Bros.

Beating the Perfect Run will give you a huge feeling of accomplishment because it is literally a perfect run. You beat the hardest level in the game without getting hit once. And all that just to meet Rosalina... what we do for women.

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4: Super Mario Sunshine: The Poison River

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I hate this Shine so much. It's by far the hardest Shine in the whole game and it's just not fun. In comparison to the Perfect Run, which ramps up it's difficulty over time this just slaps you in the face with the worst kind of Trial & Error. It is just brutally punishing.

Your goal is to collect eight red coins scattered across a poisonous river. Doesn't sound so bad? I thought so too until I played the goddamn thing. You see there are several hiccups, which complicate the whole process. First you only have one chance to collect the Coins. If you reach the goal without all of them, you lose. Theoretically you can go back before reaching the goal and collect the missed coins, but two factors pose a problem to that. First going against the flow of the river is extremely hard and second the water lily you use to traverse the river doesn't last forever before it disintegrates into the poisonous water.

And the last small problem you'll face is that Mario can't touch the water. At all. One dip into it and you're finished.

So you have a hard to control ''vehicle'' and a zero tolerance for mistakes. The perfect recipe for an unforgiving, hard and merciless challenge. I know several people, who never fully completed Super Mario Sunshine because of this Shine Sprite.

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3: Super Mario 3D World: Champions Road

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Super Mario 3D World got a lot of flak during it's unveil because it was a continuation of Super Mario 3D Lands style of Gameplay. Upon it's release most of the critics shut up however, because the game was just superb. There was only one criticism that kept popping up then and now. The Game was to easy. And they where kinda right. Apart from one level the road to the final Bowser Fight was pretty chill. But that only takes half the game into account. Because after you beat Cat Bowser (Meowser) you then travel to a whole new world. In the truest sense of the World.

The Post Game content in Super Mario 3D World is among the best in any Super Mario Game. The Game offers you three Worlds filled with new Levels as well as remixes of old ones. And to top it all of, once you've collected all Stamps, Green Stars and Level Exits, you can then head to the true final World.

World Crown offers a challenging Toad Stage, a brutal Mystery House and the final level of the game.

Champions Road is a curious case because honestly it could fit in at any place on this top list. The reason for that is that you can make the level tremendously easier by heading in with two Power-Ups. So if you start the level with a Tanuki Suit and a Cat Suit the experience is completely different than if you tackle it in your base form. This means that the player decides how hard the challenge ultimately will be. So with Power-Ups it would feel comfortable at the Number 5 spot, while it can also easily claim the top spot without them.

Also the level has only two truly challenging parts in my opinion. The second part with the Disco Blocks and the key collection at the very end.

But it can't be denied that this level is among the hardest in any Mario Game and finishing it, alone or with your friends, is a tremendous accomplishment.

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2: New Super Mario Bros. 2: The Impossible Pack

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New Super Mario Bros. 2 was a curious case. This and New Super Mario Bros. U were released back to back and as result they hit franchise fatigue quite hard. Also it didn't help that the game was generally very well made, but completely unremarkable.

The main theme of the game took the challenge completely away because you always had more than enough lives and the normal levels weren't really challenging to be honest.

But Nintendo offered a solution for all masochistic Mario Fans out there. New Super Mario Bros. 2 offers a Coin Rush Mode. The goal there is to complete a level as fast as possible while gathering as many coins as possible. And for that Mode Nintendo offered a DLC package called the Impossible Pack. And well... they delivered.

The Impossible Pack features three extremely difficult stages. Unlike other Coin Rush stages there are no coins inside the levels themselves, so the only way of earning some is through the time bonus when you complete a level. So not only are these stages extremely hard, but you also have to rush through them to reach the 100 Gold goal of these stages.

The Impossible Pack demands you to use every move in Marios Toolkit to utmost perfection. You need timing, precision and good reflexes to survive the courses. If you want to test your mastery of Marios Moveset then there is no better (and harder) set of levels for you.

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1: New Super Mario Bros. U: Don't. Touch. Anything.

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Now the Impossible Set tests your mastery of Marios moves to the utmost, but what if there existed a challenge that did that and also wanted you to ignore everything you about the basics of Mario that you know? Well ask no further because this challenge exists.

New Super Mario Bros. U, just like new Super Mario Bros. 2, didn't really offer anything new. It was a well made 2D Mario Game, but nothing to brag about. But that is not entirely true because it did offer something new. Something exciting. Something that was one of the best additions to any Mario Game in a long time. It offered a Challenge Mode. This was a separate mode with different challenges, for example collecting a lot of One Ups, Time Attack or survival.

One set of challenges was the Con Collection in which you had do collect a certain amount of coins within a time limit. Until you reached the last challenge in that set.

Don't. Touch. Anything is, like the Name implies, a challenge where you aren't allowed to touch anything. Touching an enemy or collecting six coins immediately fails the stage. So you have to fight your internalized urges to stomp Gumbas and collect coins, while maneuvering through the level. All the while several Lakitus throw down Spinies from above.

Completing the level alone is extremely hard but to earn a gold medal you're truly not allowed to touch anything.

This stage will test your mastery of Mario to the utmost, while also demanding you to ignore your trained reflexes. If you can manage to get a Gold Medal here, then you're a true Mario Master.

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So what stages always give you the hardest time in Mario Games? Anything in particular where you always get stuck? Let me know in the comments.

And as always

thanks for reading

Women in Games: Sylvia Christel

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I thought I'd surprise you today with a topic I haven't talked about in a long while. While most of the buzz surrounding Women in Games has died down quite a bit, the clickbaity nature of this topic raises it's ugly head form time to time.

I consider myself to be part of the camp that values freedom of expression higher than any kind of political agenda and I can accept if a game is not meant for me. Sadly it seems that I'm the minority in this case. But I don't want to go on complaining about the more and more self centered nature of todays society.

Instead let us talk about something positive. There are many ways to approach the topic of women in video games. Many choose the route of complaining about things they don't like, which often ends in simple uninformed bashing of a character.

I want to talk about positive examples. Or at least examples, who I deem positive. Now you may disagree with me on this and that is your right to do so, but I hope we can keep this whole thing civil.

As I said with my post on Bayonetta and why she is a great character I'm pretty sex positive. That's why I don't have a problem with female characters, who openly live their sexuality. I don't think they are devaluing women nor harm the picture of women in any way. But I also think that such a behavior needs to fit the character. In other words I don't think that a shy girl should wear slutty clothing, even if it's an optional costume, but when Bayonetta rocks her High Heels I don't have a problem with it.

So in that light today I wanted to talk about another cool female character, who is great, interesting, sexy and integral to the games plot. So let's talk about Sylvia Christel from No More Heroes.

Unknown, Arrogant and Amazing: 

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For anyone who has never heard of No More Heroes before let me quickly recap the plot. One night after the brutal murder of his family Travis Touchdown is approached by the mysterious Sylvia Christel, who tells him a way out of his grief. She convinces Travis to try becoming the Number 1 Killer in Santa Destroy and then sweetens the deal by promising to sleep with him if he achieves that goal. What follows is a great and surreal Story about School Girl Assassins, Magicans, Irish Twin Brother and Killer Grandmas among others.

And tieing all this madness together is Sylvia Christel. She is your motivation. Your goal. And she is an awesome female character. If you only look at her appearance and don't delve deeper into her character, you'll probably get the impression that she is a standard fanservice character. I mean just look how she dresses. That's horrible and only serves to attract the male gaze. Am I right?

Of course not.

While there is no arguing that Sylvia is a very sexy character and is often seen in situation, where she serves as eye candy, she is also much more than that.

Yes Sylvias look is designed to appeal to horny men because that is exactly her goal. She knows that men like Travis are easily manipulated by a beautiful women. Her appearance is empowering, because she deliberately uses it to her advantage. She knows that men, who think with their penis, are easily controlled and she uses her looks to achieve that. That is also the reason the camera often pans over her jiggling breasts or ass. Travis is a pervert. A likeable pervert, but still a pervert, and as the games protagonist the camera mimics his gaze.

By criticizing Sylvia on the basis of her looks alone you remove her character from the equation and, in the end, only devalue her and reduce her to an object. Yes Sylvia is a very sexy and sexual character, but again there is nothing inherently wrong with that.

Another thin I truly like about Sylvia is that she is no saint. She lies, cheats and steals for her personal gain. Still she manages to remain likeable. I like such grey characters and find it refreshing if a women is allowed to have such a character. This still happens too rarely, which is a damn shame. As long as we don't stop labeling characters instead of looking at the whole picture this won't stop.

Sylvia Christel is a great character, she is intelligent, sometimes ruthless and always sexy. And she uses her looks to her full advantage. And yes she often wears revealing outfits, but it's justified via her character and the games story.

She is a great female character in video games and if you don't like her I would be happy to hear your arguments. But if it only boils down to big tits on a fictional character harm the self worth of women, then there is not much self worth to begin with.

And if you don't like such characters and feel like they hurt you in any way or form, the solution is simple. Don't buy games with big breasted women and instead let the rest of us ''perverts'' enjoy them.

While the ending maybe was a little harsh, I still would like to hear your opinions on Sylvia Christel or the topic in general.

And as always

thanks for reading

My Top 5 Nintendo Fan Games

As we all know Nintendo has a pretty strained relationship with Fan Games. Even though they are often passion projects that do their source material justice. Luckily Nintendos battle against the creators is often times a fight they can't win, because the Internet doesn't forget. But it's also quite frustrating if the company behind the characters you love does everything in their might to fight against your passion project. And because many of these great games deserve some spotlight I want to share my Top 5 Nintendo Fan Games with you.

5: Project M

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We start with a ''game'' that is pretty well known in the Nintendo Fanbase. Project M is a modification to Super Smash Bros. Brawl that makes the game resemble Melee more closely. But that is not all. It also features some new (old) characters with Roy and Mewtwo as well as splitting up Samus and Zero Suit Samus, Sheik and Zelda as well as the Pokemon from the Pokemon Trainer.

As far as Modifications go this one is quite extensive and that is why I consider it as its own game. Until further development on the project was stopped in December 2015 it was a huge success and even featured on some national tournaments.

Project M was big success and a great passion project from several Super Smash Bros. Melee Fans from all over the world. If you're a Smash Bros. Fan and own a homebrewed Wii give it a go. It's great.

4: Kaizo Mario

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No other Fan Game spawned such a cult following. No other Fan Game has a dedicated Speedrunner Community surrounding it. For many Kaizo Mario is the definitive Fan Game. At its heart it's just a Super Mario World modification with some new levels. But the difference between the original and the Fan game becomes quite evident in the first seconds of play.

Kaizo Mario is brutal, unforgiving and often just plain evil. It was the blueprint for many other Kaizo Games and to this day I haven't even beaten the first boss. Which is fucking unfair I may add, but I digress.

Kaizo Mario is an experiences. If good or bad you have to decide for yourself. But I urge everyone to at least try it once. Even if it's just to see how much you suck at Mario. And trust me you do.

3: Newer Super Mario Bros. Wii

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Crafted over the Span of 3 Years Newer Super Mario Bros. Wii is more than just a modification of the original game. It's a brand new one. 128 all new levels, new Bosses, new Power Ups... The Size of this Project is amazing. The different Worlds are filled with detail and love and the themes are unique, all the way from a Halloween themed World into Space.

I cannot give this game a higher praise than call it a full fledged Mario game. It's just not made by Nintendo themselves.

2: Another Metroid 2 Remake:

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In the last couple of weeks this project got a lot of spot light and it was much deserved. Even before the unnecessary Takedown request by Nintendo this game was on my radar. Metroid 2 is still a good game, but it has aged quite poorly. The monochromatic graphics of the original GameBoy didn't do the varied world justice. With the updated visuals this truly is a completely new game as far as I'm concerned.

Luckily the developer still continues the work on this project and even though it can't be found on his blog anymore there are more than enough sources all over the Internet.

1: Pokemon Uranium:

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And finally we have the Number 1. Pokemon Uranium is a full fledged Pokemon Game over 9 Years in the Making. Brand new Pokemon, a brand new zone and countless new Sprites. If you show this to someone, who doesn't know, it would be easy to convince them that this is a real Pokemon game. Simply because it is.

It looks and plays just like the originals. So if you're looking for something nostalgic, but new at the same time, this is the perfect game. It's a loveletter from the developers towards the Pokemon Franchise and it deserves all of the support it can get.

This weeks Top List may be a little short. This is because of the release of World of Warcraft Legion, which will probably soak up my time for the next couple of days. Still I intend to release a Thoughtpiece on Wednesday.

And as always

thanks for reading